What We Want
by BananaLollypop
Summary: In which our beloved pair have more than one big decision to make... Part 27 in my 'What if... Enjolnine' series. R&R and Prompts appreciated as much as all of those adorable GIFs of Samantha Barks!


**AN:** Bonjour, mes amis! I'm back from my holiday, and I actually managed to do a bit of writing (all on paper though -.- real pain in the backside to type up), so I have a brand new installment, just for you lovely people! Stay tuned for the AN at the bottom of this chapter: I HAVE BIG NEWS!

Prompt: What if Enjolras had to move away for work? Enjoy!

* * *

When Enjolras first received the letter, he'd not fully understood it. His employers (though this was a fact easily forgotten when Enjolras was around them) knew his situation; he was married, and he had two young daughters. Yes, he lived for his work, but it wasn't the _only_ thing he lived for. He simply put the letter in a drawer and didn't think about it again.

But when Monsieur Moreau (who had been working with Enjolras since the beginning and now had a kind of grudging respect for the younger man) brought it up at their monthly meeting, Enjolras struggled to believe that he was actually being serious.

"Sorry, monsieur, but I don't understand... I'm not quite sure how my moving closer to the government buildings will benefit _anyone_, most of all myself and the people we're trying to help."

"The issue is, Du Fay, that monthly meetings and the occasional debate session are not producing enough progress," Moreau explained, "You fought long and hard to get where you are today, and you certainly made an impression. The king, after a while, was willing to accept your cause, but _only_ if you could move on it and make it happen. The problem is, that it _isn't_ happening, not to the extent that it is worth the government's time and money. I'm trying to do you a favour here."

"Forgive me, sir, but I can't leave my family," Enjolras said immediately, "Because I assume this move wouldn't involve bringing my wife and daughters with me?"

"It's a one-person apartment," Moreau confirmed, "And it would allow you to be more hands on with this project. You can visit your family at the weekends and even in the evenings if you felt like it. You'd be an hour away at most, and you'd be able to get back in time to read your children a bedtime story. It's an opportunity you can't afford to miss."

Enjolras sighed, not happy with the situation; leave Éponine? With the twins still so young? Could he really bring himself to do such a thing?

"What of my advisors?" Enjolras asked then, "Éponine, Marius and Grantaire all have a lot to say, and I need their input to produce an effective and thoroughly researched proposition. You cannot simply ask me to sack the people who provide some of the key points to my arguments."

"You will get time each week to meet them to discuss and put together your presentations, Enjolras," Moreau said, "It would only be for a few months. You'd be back at home full-time with your family before Christmas." Enjolras sighed again, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Let me talk to Éponine," he said finally, "And then I'll write to you with my answer." Moreau nodded understandingly as Enjolras stood up to leave.

"Enjolras," he said as Enjolras reached the door, "Don't take too long to decide, hmm? Time is of the essence."

* * *

"He wants you to _what_?!" Éponine shrieked, standing up indignantly from her chair at the dining table. The twins looked up from where they were also sat at the table, the four of them eating dinner... or attempting to, at least.

"I know," Enjolras said quietly, "I don't want to do it either. But... If I don't do it, then there's a chance I could lose my place in the government, 'Ponine. I can't risk that."

She sat down, her face falling into a sad frown, "I know that, and I understand," she replied, "But... I don't know how to live without you, Enjolras. Nearly two and a half years we've been living together, and I don't know any different. I certainly don't _like_ it being any different." Enjolras took her hand in his.

"It'll only be for a few months," he reasoned, trying desperately to persuade himself as well as his wife, "And I'll come back every Friday evening and I'll leave late on Sunday. I'll even come back in the evenings like Moreau said. If I leave in two weeks, I'll be back home again for Christmas." Éponine sighed.

"You seem to have your mind made up," she said, trying her best to keep the sadness form her voice. "Just... promise me that you'll always come back?"

"Always, 'Ponine," he said, "I promise."

* * *

Later that evening, Enjolras was tucking the twins into bed.

"Papa, why did Mama shout at dinner?" Evette asked him quietly. Enjolras sighed (something he seemed to have done a lot that day), but smiled at his daughters.

"Papa has to go away for a little while," he explained, "Because of my work. Mama doesn't like it, and neither do I, but it's only for a little while and it's very important." Elyse frowned.

"You come back?" she asked, her eyes wide as she looked up to her father pleadingly. Enjolras smiled.

"I'll always come back, Ellie," he said quietly. Elyse smiled; even at two years of age, she understood the sentiment her father wanted to show when he called her by the nickname he rarely used. Elyse snuggled under the blanket as Evette help her arms out to her father, asking silently for a cuddle. Enjolras obeyed immediately, lifting her onto his lap.

"Don't want you to go," she sniffled, rubbing her face on his shirt, searching for comfort.

"It's not forever, Evie," he murmured to her, "I'll come back every day if you want me to. And you have Mama, and all of your uncles. You'll never be alone."

"Every day?" she asked.

"Every day," Enjolras promised, "We'll all be together again by Christmas." Evette sighed, yawning as her father's words comforted her slightly.

"I get Unca 'Vroche on you if you don't." She said sleepily. Enjolras chuckled.

"Come on, poppet," he said quietly, placing her back on her bed and draping the covers over her, "I'll still be here in the morning, I promise." Evette smiled slightly, sucking her thumb and grasping the teddy bear Musichetta had made her.

"'Night, Papa," she said.

"Goodnight, Evette. Goodnight, Elyse." He said quietly, leaving the door ajar slightly.

He made his way back through to the living area, sitting down next to Éponine on the sofa.

"Are they asleep?" Éponine asked him, putting the book she's been reading on the table.

Enjolras nodded, "Once I promised them that I'd definitely be coming back..." he muttered. Éponine smiled sympathetically.

"It'll be fine," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder and slipping her hand into his, "It might even good for you to get away for a while. It'll give you the chance to work without any distractions."

"If you think you, or the twins, or Gavroche or any of the Amis are distractions, 'Ponine, then you don't know me very well," Enjolras smirked.

"Oh, so Grantaire's annoying habits don't distract you at all?" Éponine questioned smugly.

"Not in the slightest," Enjolras confirmed.

"Not his obsessive drinking?" Éponine asked.

"No."

"His ridiculously loud and opinionated interruptions?"

"Nope."

"What about the way he flicks your ear when he's drunk and wants your attention?" Enjolras faltered, causing Éponine to laugh triumphantly, "I knew it!"

"I'll admit that the ear flicking is a tiny bit annoying," Enjolras said grudgingly, "But I work better surrounded by people. They inspire me."

"Then you'll have to be inspired by the lovely, stuck-up, ignorant snobs who work in the government buildings." Éponine said, smirking again.

"You have such a high opinion of your colleagues," Enjolras said sarcastically.

"Marius and Grantaire are my colleagues," she corrected him, standing up, still holding his hand, "And you're my employer. I have absolutely no ties to them at all, and so I will say what I wish."

"I'm going to miss you so much," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You'll barely even be gone," Éponine said quietly, her hands on his shoulders, "What did you promise the twins to get them to sleep?"

Enjolras huffed dejectedly, "Were you listening?"

"You know I wasn't," she grinned, "But I _do_ know you, Enjolras. Come on, tell me. How many days are you coming back?"

"I said every day," Enjolras grumbled, "An hour's journey every day..."

"Two hours there and back," Éponine grinned, "You're going to be exhausted."

Enjolras smirked, "I've helped to raise twins; how exhausted can I get?!" Éponine laughed, and the sound made Enjolras smile.

"You're a good father, Apollo," Éponine said, her voice serious but with a smile on her face, "The best. Most fathers would just come back at the weekend, if then."

"One day," he murmured, "You're going to grasp the fact that I'm not like other people. And I like that."

"I like it too," Éponine told him, still smiling.

* * *

A while later, they were curled up in bed, content in each other's embrace.

"I can't even imagine what it's going to be like sleeping in this bed alone," Éponine murmured, "It's been _our_ bed for over two years... that's a _long_ time."

"Maybe I'll stay the night a few times," Enjolras suggested, "And go back early the next morning. I can't believe I'm actually doing this... I can't believe I'm actually going."

"We keep talking about this as if it's the end of the world," Éponine chuckled, "It's not. It's not even _close_ to the end of the world."

"It still matters, though," Enjolras said quietly, "We're married, 'Ponine. I'm supposed to be here to help you, to take care of you. I can't do that from the other side of Paris."

"It's just as well we have so many overprotective friends, then, isn't it?" Éponine said, "I'm sure Courfeyrac would be more than happy to camp on the sofa..."

Enjolras laugh, "If that actually happens, please draw it for me," he says, "That's something I never want to miss."

"Deal," Éponine said, playing with a loose thread on his shirt (which had become something of a habit for her). The two were silent for a long while, and Enjolras was almost asleep when Éponine spoke again. "Enjolras?"

"Hmm?" he replied.

"Do you think, maybe, one day... we could have another baby?" his eyes snapped open in surprise. He didn't answer for a while, and he realised he'd probably been silent for _too_ long when Éponine started babbling, "It's alright if you don't, because I know we have the twins and it was stressful with them, and what with you moving for work and everything, but-"

"I'd love that," he interrupted her, "I'd love to have another baby with you."

"You would?" Éponine asked, sitting up and looking at him through the darkness.

"Of course I would!" he exclaimed, propping himself up on his elbow, "How could I not?! When you've given us two beautiful daughters... why wouldn't I want another child?"

"I just... we don't have an easy life, Enjolras," Éponine said quietly, "Working for the government to free the oppressed... that's a _big_ job. But... all of this, you moving away and the twins growing up, and my father finally getting what he deserves... it's made me realise that life is nothing if you don't do what you _want_ to do, as well as what you _have_ to do. And I want to have another baby." Enjolras presses his lips to hers, smiling uncontrollably.

"I want nothing more than to have another baby with you, 'Ponine." He told her. Éponine threw her arms around his neck.

"I love you."

* * *

**Et voila! I hope you guys liked this chapter, I've had this one planned for AGES but I've only just decided that it'll fit in here. I'm pretty darn desperate for prompts for these one shots at the moment (though I do a have something HUGE planned for the 50th installment if I have enough prompts to get there!) so if you have a 'What if...' that you want seen in this story, throw me a PM or a review and I'll do my very best to write it for you!**

**OH YES. I HAD BIG NEWS!**

**I'm planning (and it's really only in the beginning stages) a 'What if... the Amis' story. It's basically with the storyline/timeline of 'What if... Enjolnine', but it focuses on the Amis and all of the shenanigans they get up to whilst our favourite pair are off being all adorable! So, I have a few questions:**

**1. Do you like the sound of 'What if... the Amis'?**

**2. When shall I start it, if ever?**

**3. Do you have any prompts for the Amis? **

**Thank you ^-^**

**Well, that was a long AN... sowwy ^-^ But don't forget that reviews and favourites are my best friends and I love you amazing people who take 30 seconds to send me a comment; you make my life! And to all of you lovely people who haven't checked out the Enjolnine Extended Edition yet... you totes should! Don't forget to send me some prompts if you have any, I will love you forever if you do ^-^ Thanks for reading :)**


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